Riding gravel -protecting paint

[stephenmarklay]

Tomorrow the plan is to do about 5 hours half gravel and I wondered what guys do to protect you paint on steel bikes. The hardness of the steel seems to just allow paint chips. My carbon bikes in the past seemed less problematic.

I was thinking about putting vinyl tape on the fronts of the forks and under the downtube.

What do you guys do?

[ssonixx]

I am interested in responses as well....

[joosttx]

I have nothing to offer but If you do paint a gravel bike powder coat it. Even better get a ti gravel bike with no paint

[Vientomas]

3M "airplane tape" (like clear bra) underside of down tube, back of seat tube, top of driveside chainstay. I don't cover any of the fork. Snow seems to finally be melting! Have a great ride.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...iveLeading.php

[Clean39T]

Funny, was going to ask the same question - have a Roubaix-style race coming up next weekend..

[SlowPokePete]

Chicks dig chips.

Just sayin'


SPP

[Cicli]

Its a tool, not a jewel.

I look at chips from use as well, use.
Damage from niglect? Thats another thing all together.

Ride it and have fun.

[Pastashop]

I suppose if you're just testing out if the bike works for you on these types of rides, protecting makes sense, from a resale value POV. Also if it's a carbon frame. Otherwise, I'd look at paint chips as "beausage" and an excuse to reprint it down the road.

EDIT: fenders with good coverage can also do wonders to protect the frame.

[Peter P.]

Another good reason to not ride carbon on gravel-carbon doesn't like those stones and rocks kicking up and scratching the tubes. If it penetrates the clear coat and abrades the fibers, tube failure is in your future.

So carbon frames should stick to asphalt. Let the manly steel frames take on gravel roads.

[chiasticon]

more and more, this is part of the reason I like titanium or raw aluminum frames. one less thing to worry about. plus they develop a patina instead of getting chipped.

[charliedid]

Ride bike forget paint.

[R3awak3n]

I love getting my first chip. Best time to just decide not to care and ride the bike

[Dromen]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Ride bike forget paint.

+1

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[stephenmarklay]

Thanks guys. Yeah the anal side of me makes me clean my bike each ride and inspect the new chips etc

The good point about that is last week I found my front brake caliper had loosened (a bolt hold it together) such that the thing was about ready to go boing. That could have been bad news on a bid decent.

Anyway, my CSI is getting more chips and the paint is nice. But your right eventually it is just an excuse to get a cool paint job.

[Fatty]

I'm considering something along this line.
Comes in clear.



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